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The safest trucks for 2026: work hard, stay safe
Many pickup trucks are large, heavy, and robustly engineered, providing some built-in safety benefit. That doesn’t necessarily mean every truck is safe. A select few are the best pickup trucks for crash avoidance and protection in testing by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
IIHS has updated its testing methods, and only two trucks meet the latest standards to earn 2026 Top Safety Pick+ status, the best possible designation. However, two other new trucks still qualify for the second-best Top Safety Pick accolade based on 2025 testing procedures. We list those here, along with relevant scores on NHTSA’s five-star scale.
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD PRo 1
2026 Toyota Tundra
In terms of truck stuff, the Toyota Tundra is something of an also-ran, trailing its rivals in driving refinement, all-terrain potential, and towing and hauling capability. Then again, none of its main full-size truck rivals offer the same safety reassurance. The Tundra still has merits, like its spacious cabin, strong twin-turbo V-6 with available hybrid assistance, reconfigurable gauge display, and burly exterior design.
In Crew Cab configuration, the Toyota Tundra earns IIHS Top Safety Pick designation and a five-star overall safety score. The smaller Extended Cab gets the top Good score in various crashworthiness tests but isn’t rated by NHTSA. All versions are equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 driver assist and active safety features, which include front automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, and automatic high-beams. On higher-end Tundra models, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert with trailer coverage are added.
Read Our Experts’ Full Toyota Tundra Review
006 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Some say it’s not a “real” pickup, but the unibody-based Hyundai Santa Cruz might be the right truck for certain drivers. Combining a crossover’s driving manners with bed utility benefits makes the Santa Cruz a nice companion for daily chores, weekend getaways, and home projects. In this category of compact trucks, the Ford Maverick is better, but it doesn’t earn safety scores as high as the Santa Cruz’s.
The 2026 Santa Cruz receives IIHS 2025 Top Safety Pick status and NHTSA five-star overall designation. Its standard safety and assist features include front automatic emergency braking, rear and side cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic high-beams.
Read Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Santa Cruz Review
016 2024 Tesla Cyberbeast
2026 Tesla Cybertruck
With its sharp-edged stainless-steel body, the Tesla Cybertruck looks like it could cause cuts if you’re not careful. However, occupants are very safe inside, as the 2026 Cybertruck earns Top Safety Pick+ and a five-star overall score. This pickup is unconventional but offers clever storage, a comfortable ride, and excellent handling thanks in part to its all-wheel steering system.
Like every Tesla, the Cybertruck is equipped with many driver assist and active safety features, such as front automatic emergency braking, obstacle-aware acceleration, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and a rain-sensing windshield wiper (singular). Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology is available for extra cost.
Read Our Experts’ Full Tesla Cybertruck Review
021 2025 Rivian R1T Dual
2026 Rivian R1T
Combining luxurious refinement, off-road capability, and sporty performance, the Rivian R1T is an electric truck that will delight any driver. What’s more, it functions well as a pickup, too, providing lifestyle-ready utility, clever storage, and solid towing capability. Range and charging are pretty good, as well, regardless of which of its several powertrains is equipped.
The 2026 R1T earns Top Safety Pick status using IIHS’ 2025 criteria. Automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beams are among its standard active safety and driver assist features. Rivian continues to develop its self-driving technology, leveraging the R1T’s many cameras, sensors, and redundant controls to ensure safety.
Read Our Experts’ Full Rivian R1T Review
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Alex Leanse
Alex’s earliest memory is of a teal 1993 Ford Aspire, the car that sparked his automotive obsession. He’s never driven that tiny hatchback—at six feet, 10 inches tall, he likely wouldn’t fit—but has assessed hundreds of other vehicles, sharing his insights on MotorTrend as a writer and video host.”
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Safety First: The Top-Rated Pickup Trucks for 2026
2026 Toyota Tundra: A Safe Ride You Can Trust
In terms of truck stuff, the Toyota Tundra is something of an also-ran, trailing its rivals in driving refinement, all-terrain potential, and towing and hauling capability. Then again, none of its main full-size truck rivals offer the same safety reassurance. The Tundra still has merits, like its spacious cabin, strong twin-turbo V-6 with available hybrid assistance, reconfigurable gauge display, and burly exterior design.”
The Safest Trucks for 2026: Work Hard, Stay Safe
The pickup truck segment has long been associated with brute strength, raw power, and rugged capability. However, as the automotive landscape evolves, safety has become an increasingly critical factor for truck buyers. This guide explores the safest trucks for 2026, based on the latest crash test ratings and safety assessments from organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Understanding IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and Top Safety Pick Designations
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is the leading authority on vehicle safety in the United States. The IIHS evaluates vehicles based on a rigorous set of crash tests, including front, side, and roof strength tests, as well as crash avoidance and mitigation technologies.
Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+)
The IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation is the highest honor awarded to vehicles by the organization. To qualify for TSP+, vehicles must earn a “Good” rating in all crashworthiness categories and meet stringent criteria for crash avoidance and mitigation systems.
Top Safety Pick (TSP)
The IIHS Top Safety Pick designation is the second-highest honor awarded by the organization. To qualify for TSP, vehicles must earn a “Good” rating in most crashworthiness categories and meet the same stringent criteria for crash avoidance and mitigation systems as TSP+ vehicles.
The Safest Trucks for 2026: Top Picks
While many pickup trucks offer a sense of security through their size and structure, only a select few are recognized by the IIHS and NHTSA for their superior safety performance. Here are the safest trucks for 2026, based on the latest crash test ratings and safety assessments.
2026 Toyota Tundra TRD PRo 1
The Toyota Tundra has long been a favorite among truck enthusiasts for its reliability and durability. In 2026, the Tundra continues to be a strong contender in the pickup truck segment, offering a comfortable ride, capable performance, and advanced safety features.
IIHS Crash Test Ratings
The 2026 Toyota Tundra earns IIHS Top Safety Pick designation and a five-star overall safety score. In crashworthiness tests, the Tundra earns a “Good” rating in all categories, including:
Small overlap front: Good
Moderate overlap front: Good
Side: Good
Roof strength: Good
Head restraints and seats: Good
NHTSA Crash Test Ratings
The 2026 Toyota Tundra earns a five-star overall safety score from NHTSA. In crashworthiness tests, the Tundra earns the following ratings:
Frontal crash: 5 stars
Side crash: 5 stars
Rollover: 4 stars
Safety Features
All versions of the Toyota Tundra are equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, a suite of driver-assist and active safety features that includes:
Front automatic emergency braking: This feature uses sensors to detect potential collisions and applies the brakes automatically if the driver does not respond.
Lane keep assist: This feature uses sensors to detect lane lines and provides steering assistance to keep the vehicle in its lane.
Adaptive cruise control: This feature uses sensors to detect the distance to the vehicle in front and automatically adjusts the speed to maintain a safe following distance.
Road sign recognition: This feature uses sensors to detect road signs and displays them on the instrument panel.
Automatic high-beams: This feature automatically switches between